First Fruit (resurrection)

http://www.truthnet.org/Feasts-of-Israel/6-Feast-Firstfruits/Index.htm

Firstfruits requires the Temple, and since the Temple is no longer available, Firstfruits is not celebrated in the same sense as it was in the past. In the Temple days both the people and the priest would celebrate First Fruits. The priests would set aside a portion of their barley field to be the sheaves used for the harvest on Nisan 16. This barley field was cultivated solely to be used for the first fruits harvest. The Sanhedrin, the ruling council of seventy who headed the nation, would have been responsible for the field. 

In the evening of Nisan 15, at the start of Nisan 16, three Sanhedrin came from the Temple to cut the First Fruit Barley harvest. With three sickles and three baskets the men would prepare to cut down the harvest to be presented in the Temple. The bundles of barley had already been prepared for the Sanhedrin members chosen to harvest the crop. As the Sun was setting, and the new day began, (Nisan 16) the men ask questions to those present.

Has the sun set?

With this sickle?

Into this basket?

On this Sabbath?

Shall I reap (now)? 

On the positive response from the crowd the men would repeat the harvesting two more times as a safeguard. The reaping would continue until 2/3 of a bushel was reaped. 

THE PRESENTATION OF FIRSTFRUITS 

The three baskets of Barley were then taken to the Temple to be threshed with rods, as opposed to ox powered sledges, to preserve the barley heads. The barley was then parched in a flame and winnowed in the wind to remove the chaff. The barley was then milled and sifted until it was very fine. According to the Talmud the inspectors should be able to stick their hands into the barley flour without any flour sticking to the hands when they were removed. (Menahot 8:2) 

On the morning of Nisan 16 the work of the barley harvest firstfruits were presented to the Lord in the Temple. One “Omer” (5 pints) or barley was mixed with ¾ pint of olive oil, along with some frankincense. This was the firstfruits offering. The priest would wave this before the Lord, burning some and giving the rest to the Levites. 

FOR THE FAMILY 

The priest would celebrate the feast of first fruits for the whole nation; and each individual family would also celebrate since Israel was a farming community dependent on the land to produce its wealth. Israel’s farming families would prepare for the yearly Firstfruits celebration at the same time they were preparing for Passover. When families came to Jerusalem they were prepared to celebrate three festival days, Passover, Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits; since they were celebrated in the one week period, 14^ththrough 21^st of Nisan. First the family would set aside a portion of the crop to be marked for firstfruits by tying a cord around the area to be harvested for the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When the crop was harvested the family would take it along, with their lambs, to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. 

On the 16^th of Nisan people in Jerusalem would have just finished celebrating Passover and would now begin to celebrate Firstfruits. The Israelite male was called to Jerusalem to celebrate these feasts. He would have come to the Temple with his lamb, a second lamb after the Passover lamb, and the “first fruits” of his field. As he approached the Temple he would have heard the Levitical choirs lead worship with Psalm 30: “I will extol You, O’ Lord, for you have lifted me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me…” As the masses poured into Jerusalem the Temple the scene would have continued throughout the day. 

The lamb would have been brought into the Temple by the Israelite and the priest would slay the lamb as the Israelite watched the preparation of his sacrifice. If he was poor he could offer two turtledoves. (Lev. 5:7; 12:8, 14:22) 

Leviticus 1:10-17
¹⁰ If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male without defect. ¹¹ He is to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. ¹² He is to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. ¹³ He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. ¹⁴ If the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or a young pigeon. ¹⁵ The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. ¹⁶ He is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are. ¹⁷ He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 

After the priest returned from the sacrifice of the man’s lamb the man would have presented to the priest his offering of barley, the measure of an omer (5 pints). He would then say, ‘I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us. 

As the priest received the basket of grain he would then begin to wave it before the Lord, and the Israelite would now say ‘My father was a Syrian about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. ⁶ But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. ⁷ Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. ⁸ So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. ⁹ He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; ¹⁰ and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.
 

The priest would then set the basket down in front of the altar and cast a handful of grain into the fire. The Israelite would then worship the Lord as prescribed in Deuteronomy 26. The Israelite would then have left courts and returned to his waiting family.

FIRSTFRUITS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 

Romans 8:23
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.Galatians 5:22-23: The fruits of the Spirit are defined by Paul:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Romans 11:16
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.1 Corinthians 15:19-21 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter) 

1 Corinthians 15:23
But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.Revelation 14:4
These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.